


Definitely Interested

by tmwillson3



Category: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Office, Engineer Ben and Rey, F/M, Fluff, Misunderstandings, RTC Be Mine, Valentine's Day Fluff, valentine fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 17:12:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17791433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmwillson3/pseuds/tmwillson3
Summary: Ben Solo was always quiet and either giving her random stuff to help her work more - like coffee and good headphones - or else haunting her cubicle to talk and give constructive criticism on their shared projects.  Rey didn’t understand what it all meant… at least until Valentine’s Day.





	Definitely Interested

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of the Reylo Trash Compactor group Be Mine Valentine's Day fest. This is one of the prompts:
> 
> “I bought you chocolates, flowers, & a stuffed bear. How can you not tell I’m interested in you?” 
> 
> I don't own Star Wars or anything else I reference. I'm just here for the office romance and fluff. Happy Valentine's Day!! I hope you enjoy it!

Skywalker Electronics, the biggest and best name around for computers, had one dirty secret that Rey quickly discovered while interviewing for the open software engineer position.  

****

“Do you enjoy not being around a lot of people?” asked Luke, the position so important that its leaders personally gave the questions. 

****

Rey raised an eyebrow before shrugging. “I like people as much as the next person, but in order to do my work, I prefer to be alone.  Why? Is that a problem?” 

****

She dragged out the last question, even as the other leader grinned delightedly.

****

“Oh no, that’s great! The other engineer on the project you’re joining hates people in general, so don’t expect to see too many people venturing by your office,” said Leia, both brother and sister looking relieved. “He's really good at what he does, but he's a terror to work with. It's become necessary to tell candidates coming in due to how short a time they last.”

****

Rey nodded with a blank look, hoping it appeased them. Apparently it did, as they offered her a job the next day. Then, she met him, the dirty secret.  Ben, the eccentric, brilliant son of Leia. When she wandered into his empty office to find out who her only neighbor was, she discovered  _ why  _ she was all alone with him at the end of the hallway, nothing but equipment for company. 

****

“Who are you? Why are you in my office? Are you new?” he asked, each word crisp and cold.

****

She spun around, unprepared for the giant mass of humanity that stood directly behind her. His unruly, black hair seemed at odds with his patrician features, other than the scar that ran down the right side of his face. It was his eyes that captured her, though, stormy and expressive as they beckoned her to come closer and explore his depths. While his size and scar might have made her more hesitant to speak at first, his dark eyes seemed to compel her to answer his questions. 

****

“Yes, I’m new.  I’m Rey, the newest software engineer.  Who are you?”

****

He stuck out a hand, and she shook it, giving him a tight grip that made him look at her twice.  Then he added, “I’m Ben Solo, your partner in software. I don’t like people, but especially lazy ones.  We won’t get along otherwise.”

****

He seemed ready for a reaction - for a flinch or some other evidence of fear or dislike - but never got it, as Rey didn’t care if he did hate people or looked scary.  She was miffed but determined to make him like her if nothing else and prove that she belonged in this job. 

****

“Nice to meet you, Ben.  Do you have any preference if I play music without headphones?”

****

“Yes, I do,” he said, their hands falling away.  “I don’t want to hear it.”

****

“Great! I’ll do that, then.  I’m much more efficient with background music and less people, so this quiet hall should work well.  I’ll be seeing you around,” she said, leaving a stunned Ben.

****

She expected him to warm to her pretty fast.  He didn’t. He was prickly at best, short and foul-tempered at worst.  She quickly discovered why he had gone through three software engineers in the past year.  He was good, but he had high expectations of everyone, expecting all to work as hard as he did.  She kept up with him for those first three months, working twelve and fourteen hour days until the end of the project, even testing his patience by spending periods of time in his office as they did troubleshooting. 

****

Rey quickly discovered that she had a free pass to enter his office as much as she liked since Ben wanted the work done right. Everyone else he barked at to leave him alone. She had feared that she had crossed a line by eating a snack while coding, the food not fitting in with the neat setup of everything in his office. It was past when she normally ate lunch, and she was  _ starving.  _ The Reese's cups tasted divine, and when she had finished eating them, she found Ben staring at her with a tick in his jaw, as though he were trying to restrain himself from doing or saying something. 

****

“What? Is it not okay to snack when you're hungry?” she asked, slightly indignant. 

****

His face lost its tense look, becoming neutral once more. “If you're hungry, then you should just tell me that and go eat lunch. I'm not a monster who won't let you eat. Snacks….are also permitted,” he finally added, glancing at her candy wrapper and mouth.

****

“Good because snacks are essential to me,” she returned, getting up to eat. 

****

As the long hours peaked, she started eating lunch in his office, too. He reluctantly allowed it. It was at that point that she got sick.  She started sniffling and blowing her nose as the project deadline approached with a week to go, but she figured that she could tough it out as she had in  college. 

****

However, what she forgot to include in the calculation of getting work done was Ben Solo.  The day after the sniffles began, he loomed momentarily outside before bursting into her office,  _ not happy. _

****

“Why are you here right now?” he asked, barging in and slamming his palms on her desk. “Go home.”

****

“What? No! This project is almost done.  I have to finish my portion-”

****

“Your portion is negligible; you’re sick.  I’ll take care of it. We give you very generous sick leave; I suggest you use it and come back after you’ve kicked whatever you have right now so you don't share that with anyone else.  You’re useless to me if you die because you didn’t go home and rest,” he stated, disapproving eyes making her feel small. “Go.”

****

Rey wasn’t sure if he was doing it to keep her around since she was good at her job or because he didn’t want to get sick.  She hoped it was because of the former. She tried once more, if a little more feebly because she did want to go home and rest.  “I could work from home-”

****

“You’ll do no such thing.” At that, he turned and marched back to his office. As she started to get up, he yelled from the open doors, “You better be packing up.”

****

“I’m going.  I was just trying to do my part, sheesh,” she complained, grabbing her work laptop and leaving soon after.

****

Later that day, after Rey had had a nice, long nap, someone knocked on her apartment door.  She was surprised to see a large box sitting on the front stoop, a letter from Skywalker Electronics wishing her a speedy recovery.  Inside the box she found a note written by Leia, telling her that she could take as much time off as she needed to heal. But that was not to be the only gift she received during her three days of convalescence. Each day, friends from work came by with cards, flowers, and food for her. All but Ben.  She understood why since they had a tight deadline, but she wished all the same that she could see him.

****

Three days later, she walked into work, fully rested and free of her cold.  All were happy to see her, except Ben. He was still typing away until she walked in and cleared her throat.  For a moment, all he did was stare at her, as though he had seen a ghost.

****

“You’re back.”

****

It was a simple statement, one without embellishment or personal feeling.  It was cold, and Rey didn’t like it. “Yes, I’m all better now. What’s left on the project?”

****

“Nothing.  I finished it last night.  You can review it, or start on the next project. Your choice.”

****

She had expected  _ some  _ kind of reaction from him.  She got nothing. There was no reproach or anger at her being gone, nor was there any sense that he was glad to have her back.  It was just business as usual.

****

“I’ll review it.  I’m curious about what my predecessors did,” she said, heading back to her office.

****

“It wasn’t much; I reviewed and changed much of it over time, unlike your work,” he said, making her pause.

****

Was that a compliment?

****

“Also, if I’m working you too hard, you can tell me.  I’ll understand; your health is more important,” he said, a little softer.

****

Rey couldn’t believe her ears as she stared at him in disbelief; he wasn't talking down to her like a child.  “Ok.”

****

She spent the rest of the day combing over every inch of code and every comment made.  She ran it through several very imaginative test scenarios, and by the end, she only found one small thing wrong in something done before her time.

****

He was still working full speed ahead when she came in with her find, ready to go home.  “Ben, I think we should change this.”

****

She leaned over and pointed out the error, and he stared at the screen blankly as he absorbed what he saw and her comments about how it should be changed.  He nodded. “That’s fine. Anything else?”

****

“No.  I’m satisfied.”

****

“Good.  I’ll submit it.  Have a good night, Rey.”

****

She gave him another deer-in-the-headlights look before heading home. He was capable of greetings, it seemed.  She started work on the next project, and she was soon throwing herself into it with just as much gusto as before.  By then, she was beginning to think that he was warming to her, but he proved otherwise when she was visited by Leia.

****

“Rey, you’ve been doing such great work here already.  However, I was wondering if you’d mind moving somewhere else.  Perhaps closer to some of my bigger talkers, to encourage them to work harder?”

****

“Leia, did Ben ask for this?” she asked, truly worried and curious.

****

“Yes.  He wouldn’t say why,” answered Leia, looking guilty.

****

“Alright, I’ll go.  If he doesn’t want me nearby, I can take a hint.”

****

“At least you're staying. That's a lot better than many others,” comforted Leia before leaving.

****

At that point, Rey realized that he was trying to be nice just to get rid of her.  She packed up and left within the day without a word to Ben. Knowing him, he probably hadn’t noticed. Everyone else in the office did notice, however.

****

“Wow, you remained after a project! He must like your work!” cried Finn, her closest and first friend at the company.

****

“True, but he hates her just as much as everyone else.  He sent her out of his  _ domain _ ,” said Poe with finger air quotes. As the loudest, most charismatic person in the cubes, Rey was certain Leia wanted her to rub off on him.  “Don’t worry, Rey, we love you.”

****

She smiled faintly, but it wasn’t one of her best smiles.  That smile changed quickly, though. Without Ben’s grumpy presence that shunned all personal life with the constant need to work, she was less stressed.  She still worked an extra hour or two here and there if the project needed it, but she stopped the crazy hours. She was smiling a lot by the end of the week, chatting with people now and then but mostly keeping to herself.  Unfortunately, Ben always seemed to come looking for her when she was talking to others.

****

He never asked why she was talking to them, thankfully.  He just waited impatiently at the end of the hall, looking at her and her alone.  His constant gaze was enough; she was always aware of him when he was close by. She had grown used to his presence always being around before that; if he came to talk to her, it wasn’t the lack of typing that clued her in that he was coming.  Usually, it was just the sense that he was closer. 

****

He had had a habit of looming in the doorway until she told him at the end of her second week that he was welcome inside her office anytime.  After that, he just walked into her office, either sitting and looking at her expectantly, or else cutting right to the chase and going behind her desk to ask or point something out.  Now that she wasn’t as close to him, she realized just how often he came to her, which was usually once a day. There was no set time for when he would appear; he just did. He was a shadowy presence that most politely ignored, lest they get scared of him or say something that got them fired.

****

“Why does he come see you so much? Is it always to criticize you?” 

****

It was the question most asked by others. She quickly developed a stock answer.

****

“No, not every time, but many times.”  

****

She didn’t mind, really.  She liked him for his tendency to barely speak.  Everything was important when he said it, and he always had constructive criticism for her, more ways to improve.  He didn’t sugarcoat things, but it was never said nastily. As a result, she learned a lot. Nevertheless, she still didn’t know where she stood with him.  He made his distaste for most pretty clear, but he had never given her that face at least. She just feared that making him wait for very long would be bad for her career.

****

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said, leading him into her cubicle before both sat.  He waved her words off. 

****

“Don’t apologize,” he said for the millionth time. “I don’t know how you can concentrate with all that noise.” His nose wrinkled at the thought of so much noise constantly.

****

“My headphones do well enough,” she said, pointing to her earbuds.  

****

“Don’t you have noise-canceling ones?” he asked, eyeing the earbuds with disdain.

****

“No. I never saw a need-”

****

“Take these.  They’re really good,” he said, taking the large, cushy headset from around his neck and putting them on her desk.  “You need to be able to concentrate more on your work. If you choose to work here, then you need to be ready.”

****

“I was happy where I was before; I didn’t need them  _ then _ ,” she replied, getting cross before standing up.

****

“Then why did you agree to leave?” he asked, very confused as he stood as well and drew closer.

****

“Because you asked for it.  I’m not going to force myself on you if you don’t like me,” she said as though it were natural and normal while his jaw developed a tick once more.  “I’m wanted here.”

****

His dry tone annoyed her. “Clearly.  They’re constantly distracting you.”

****

“Look, they’re getting just as much work done-”

****

“Rey, stop,” he said, putting a hand on hers.

****

It wasn’t often he touched her.  Usually it was only in passing, never deliberate like this.  His hands were huge, and surprisingly warm on her always-cold skin.  

****

“What?” she asked, blinking to get herself out of the trance that his touch inspired in her. It almost seemed as though he liked her.

****

“Nothing,” he said, eyeing her.  “I was just leaving.”

****

He was gone, just like that.  What baffled her to end was that he hadn’t actually asked her a question or made a comment about work.  It had been the weirdest thing to ever happen involving him, and she couldn’t figure out why he had left so abruptly.  

****

A week later, she still hadn’t figured it out.  He came with his questions every day after that, but he never stayed long.  She didn’t like that he was giving her his headphones just to make her work more, but she did like them since they were high-quality and worked well. They almost seemed new.  If nothing else, Ben Solo had good taste in his electronics.

****

It wasn’t the last time he gave her something, not by a long shot.  One week, he brought her fingerless gloves since her hands were always so cold. The fact that he made a comment about it made her think that he didn’t like touching her skin or how cold she was.  When he gave her a jacket one day because he  _ happened to have one lying around _ , even though it was a woman’s jacket, she figured he was tired of touching her cold arms and hands.  Again, it was a really nice, warm jacket, but the reason for it didn’t do him any favors. 

****

That was right about the time when their second project ended.  It had also been very successful, and she had worked some longer hours at the end.  She had ended up dragging her laptop into his office the last three days and setting up permanent residence because he kept on looking for her leading up to it.  It had been getting ridiculous. All the same, he didn’t question why she decided to squat in his office; he just made more coffee for her when he got up for his hourly coffee fill-up.

****

When the third project began, she was sitting at her desk, typing away quickly when she felt a familiar presence nearby.  Looking up, she wasn’t surprised to see him in that respect, even if she was confused why he was there.

****

“Ben? What’s wrong?”

****

“Nothing.  Why?” he asked, walking in now that he had been acknowledged.

****

“Ben, what have I told you about standing in the doorway? You’re always welcome inside,” she said, giving him an exasperated look.

****

“You’ll have to tell me at least one more time.  You’ve moved,” he said, gesturing to her cubicle.

****

“I’ve been here a little while now.  You were coming in before if I remember correctly, and you didn’t seem to mind me when I appeared temporarily.”

****

“Ah, so that was only temporary.  You never said how long you had planned to stay,” he said, his left hand moving from behind his back, moving to hand her a coffee cup.  “I had gotten you a caramel macchiato on the way in.”

****

“Oh! That’s so sweet of you!” she gushed, getting up to grab it. “Sorry I didn’t say anything about the length of my stay; I thought it was assumed I’d stay until the project wrapped up.”

****

She didn’t think she needed to apologize or mention anything about it, but since he had gotten her coffee, she would make an exception.  

****

“I figured that out.  Here. Also, we’re going to need to bring on more help for this next project,” he said, his eyes darting away briefly, as though afraid of her response.

****

She wasn’t used to seeing fear in his eyes, but she took it in stride.  “You’re not firing me, though, right?”

****

He looked horrified then angry in disbelief. “No.  Why would I fire the best engineer I’ve known so far?”  

****

Rey was about ready to hug him until he continued.  “Unfortunately, the deadline needed for this next project necessitates us finding more help.  You’d get sick, and I would, too, if we managed to get it all done in time. I’m not letting that happen.”

****

“How much more can it be? Who will be helping us?” she asked, worried that they were hiring someone else.

****

“Take the work of the first two projects and double it.  All in two months. No,” he said, giving her a look not to question him.  “There’s a guy in IT I call in a pinch, Matt. He’s the only technician I can tolerate.  He’ll be taking care of the less-important stuff. You’ll be taking the lead on this project; I think you’re ready.”

****

Pride bloomed in her chest, and warmth filled her at his words. “Ok!” she chirped, not batting an eye. “You won’t be disappointed you did.”

****

“Good luck dealing with Matt,” he said, walking back to his office.

****

Later that day, she met Matt.  He was the oddest, most awkward guy she had ever met.  However, he did know enough code to make Ben like him, so that was what mattered most.  Matt would come charging in at random hours with questions, and she understood why Ben didn’t want to deal with him. All the same, she adjusted to it, just as she had with Ben.  Two weeks into the project, Ben came by just as Matt was leaving.

****

“You’re doing surprisingly well with him.  Most hate his guts after two weeks,” commented Ben as he walked in and sat.

****

“He’s odd, but he’s energetic and funny.  He wants to help, which is what I care about,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.  “What’s up, Ben?”

****

“Nothing.  I just want to make sure you’re handling everything alright.  If not, I can take over or do more,” he offered.

****

It rubbed her the wrong way; was he doubting her already? “I’m doing fine, thank you,” she said primly, smoothing her skirt.  “I just may need more coffee.”

****

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, getting up and leaving.

****

It was odd how much he could unsettle her.  In one moment, he seemed so nice and caring, worried about her, and in the next, he was doubting her work.  He even seemed upset that she would get mad about being doubted; she didn’t like it. Nonetheless, she was shocked to discover that Ben had remembered her comment about more coffee; sure enough he came by the next day with a warm cup twice, always asking her to tell him if she needed more help.

****

She stubbornly persisted in not asking for help until two weeks before it was due.  At that point, there was no way she could finish it all by herself, so she decided she ought to own up to it.  She made the long trek over to his side of the building, and he was a little surprised to see her. 

****

“Rey? Is everything alright?”

****

“Remember when you asked to tell you if I needed help? I do now,” she said, standing in the doorway looking pale and concerned.

****

“Rey, sit down,” he commanded, standing up and pointing to one of his chairs.  When she had sat, he asked, “What, exactly, do you need help with?”

****

“All of it,” she said in a small voice, unable to make eye contact.  “I thought I could handle it all. I thought I was doing fine, until I saw the date. I didn’t want to disturb you; I wanted to show you I could do it. I-”

****

“It’s fine,” he said, making her look at him in shock as he held her gaze for just a second before opening up what she had done.  A brow furrowed as he looked at it all, and then he looked back at her, no change in his facial expression. “I see where you are.  You’re a little further behind than I expected, but you lasted a lot longer than I expected. I’ll tackle the front end.”

****

Relief swept through her, her body relaxing at once. “Thank you.  Again, I’m really sorry-”

****

“Don’t be.  We all need to learn how to ask for help.  Keep that in mind going forward. When I ask that, I’m being serious, Rey,” he said, his eyes pinning her to the spot.  “I want you and this project to succeed just as much as you do.”

****

Getting up quickly, she nodded and left.  Her mind was confused by the whole conversation, unsure how much he disapproved and was disappointed in her.  All the same, as the project came to an end, she set up shop in his office once more, that time for the whole week leading up to the due date.  He didn’t seem bothered by it, except for the one time that Matt came by, and he brought her more coffee to help them get through the long hours together. It all came together, though, even with a day to spare. He seemed pleased by it all as they submitted it.

****

Afterward, she went back with him to his office, and she began packing up everything, not wanting to disturb him any longer.  However, he had other plans.

****

“Rey, we should leave early for once.  Maybe get some dinner and a drink to celebrate,” he said, getting up and pushing her laptop back down onto its spot on the edge of his desk.  “My treat.”

****

“Oh, okay,” she said, excited by the prospect of free food.  Wherever he went, she was likely to get a good meal since he had such expensive tastes in everything.  The idea of Matt coming along didn’t thrill her, but she went along with it, curious to see Ben and Matt interact.  

****

She never did.  As it turned out, it was only the two of them.  He drove his black sports car over to an expensive-looking hotel that also had a casino.  The owner of the place, a suave, older gentleman with darker skin, rushed to meet Ben as they entered.

****

“Little Starfighter! You finally came back to visit your favorite Uncle Lando at Cloud City Hotel.  Who’s this?”

****

“Lando, this is Rey, an up and coming coworker of mine.  Rey, this is Lando, an old family friend. That woman rushing toward us is his wife, Lydia, otherwise known as L3.”

****

“Ben! Who’s the lady friend? It’s about time you brought someone here. Eat,” she insisted, leading them toward the main restaurant.

****

“Come find me in the casino later,” commented Lando, patting Ben’s back.  “Rey, it was lovely to meet you.”

****

When they were seated, Rey asked, “What’s the deal with them?” 

****

“I rarely come here because I’m so busy. They always take care of me when I do come.  They’re really good people,” he said, smiling briefly.

****

Rey wasn’t used to his smiles.  They were about as rare as his compliments.  When he did smile, though, it filled his face and made him appear years younger.  It made her feel warm all over, all while confusing her about his intentions. He had never shared anything personal before or ever gone out, let alone suggested that he even drank.  All of a sudden, she was discovering so many things about him as he ordered drinks and appetizers for them. He liked his scotch, and he preferred it neat. He fixed classic cars and played video games that involved space in his free time, and he was capable of leaning back in his seat, instead of just sitting ramrod straight.  He even smiled a few more times. She wasn’t prepared for him to ask so many questions about her. He was surprisingly perceptive, at least until the end. 

****

“They’re already decorating for Valentine’s Day in here,” he said, his mouth curving into a frown as he pointed out some tasteful red hearts and little cupids.  “Isn’t it too early for all that nonsense?”

****

“I think it’s sweet and really nice-looking,” she replied, looking at it as Ben gave her a curious look.  “Besides, Valentine’s Day is two weeks from now; it’s appropriate.”

****

“It’s only two weeks away?” he asked, the worry in his voice making Rey face him again.

****

“Yeah….it’s always on February 14th,” she answered, her look asking him if he was really asking that question.  

****

“Sorry.  I’ve always been alone and try not to think about Singles Awareness Day any more than I have to,” he apologized, looking rueful. “I’m sure you don’t have that problem with your boyfriend.”

****

“Boyfriend? Since when did I give the impression that I have a boyfriend?” she asked, her hand touching his arm to get his attention.  

****

“Well, I always thought that-”

****

“Let me disabuse you of that notion right now,” she said, holding up fingers.  “First, if I had a boyfriend, I’d feel as though I’m cheating on him with you and work in general based on the sheer amount of work I do.”

****

Ben brightened slightly at the mention of his name but kept quiet when he realized she had more to say.

****

“Second, that implies that I have way more of a social life than I do, again because of work.  I’d like to work less and date more, sure, but I don’t know how that would turn out.”

****

He seemed surprisingly upset about that, but again, he let her go on, determined to let her speak fully before replying.  She leaned in as she repeated the last and most important thing about Valentine’s Day.

****

“Third, the only reason I care about Valentine’s Day is because of the chocolate.” 

****

“The chocolate?” he repeated, narrowing his eyes at the seeming non-sequitur.  

****

“Of course! Chocolate is best food ever invented, and it goes on sale at severely reduced prices the day after Valentine’s Day.  I used to save up a month or two of my pay in college just so I could buy a year’s worth of chocolate the day after Valentine’s Day,” she said, remembering the days of working in a car shop for minimum wage while going to school full-time.  It had been her back-up job if college and programming didn’t work out.

****

“You like chocolate that much? Is that why you keep so much in your desk?” he asked, his eyes finally making the connection.  “I thought you just had woman problems more often.”

****

“Woman… problems?” she asked until she made the connection to her monthly cycle.  “Right, that. That just means I eat a little more for one week. Chocolate is always there for me, though, unlike anyone else.”

****

Food couldn’t leave her.  She may not always be able to afford it, but that was her fault, not chocolate’s.

****

“You really like chocolate, huh.  Well, you’ve got more than chocolate now to depend on,” he said, smiling slightly and squeezing her hand.  “You’ve got me.”

****

When he saw her dumbstruck look, he smiled a little wider.  She didn’t understand what she was seeing.

****

“Ben, I, thank you,” she said, unable to meet his eyes.

****

His left hand took hold of her chin, forcing her to look up at him once more.  “I mean it, Rey. None of this doubt like before, alright?”

****

She was saved from responding by the waiter coming by to ask about dessert.  Ben ordered the chocolate cake, and Rey was very happy when it arrived soon after.  She enjoyed every morsel, and Ben took pleasure in watching her eat. When they finished eating, they wandered over to the casino.

****

“Do you ever gamble?” he asked, gesturing toward Lando.

****

“No.  I never had enough money to consider wasting it on things like gambling,” she replied, not liking how she sounded.

****

Ben didn’t seem to care, dragging her inside anyway. “It’s time to learn.  It’s fun, at least,” he said, pulling out two twenty dollar bills and handing them to an eager Lando.  “I learned from my father and later Lando at a young age. You’ll have it in no time. Just try not to count cards.”

****

Rey didn’t understand what that meant until three hours later, after Ben and Lando had given her a rundown on all the different table games present in the casino.  She tried many of them with Ben’s encouragement, and she was amazed at how relaxed he seemed. When she got tired of playing, she just stood behind him and watched as he played blackjack and poker.

****

“We should teach her sabacc,” tried Lando near the end of the night, pointing to an empty table near the back of the room.  

****

“Not around you, you cheater,” said Ben with something close to fondness. “That’ll be later, after I get her more into gambling in general. Right now I’m tired, and I suspect Rey is, too.  Good night.”

****

“Thank you for all your help!” exclaimed Rey before hugging Lando.  “It was fun.”

****

When she pulled back, Lando was grinning at her.  “Anytime, little lady. Come back soon with Ben.”

****

He gestured toward Ben, and when she looked at him, she was shocked to see him looking something close to angry, or at least jealous.  She didn’t get it, especially as he suddenly became very curt with her as he hurried her back into his car.

****

“Do you want me to drop you off at home or back at the office?” he asked, not looking at her.

****

“The office, please.  If not, then you’d have to pick me up tomorrow morning as well,” she replied, prompting Ben to make a noise that sounded remarkably like a snort.  

****

“I wouldn’t mind,” he muttered under his breath.  “There are a lot of things I wouldn’t mind.”

****

Rey sat and puzzled about his words until they arrived next to her car, the only car in the lot.

****

“We’re here,” he said, still looking ahead.

****

When he didn’t say anything, she decided to be brave.  After all, he had gone out of his way to pay for dinner and make her forget about work for a long time, not once bringing up coworkers or projects. He had opened up to her in a way she had never seen before, and she was beginning to wonder if anyone else had ever seen him loosen up like that. She felt special, even wanted, that he would choose to do all that with her. 

****

“Ben?”

****

“Yeah?” he answered, still not looking at her.  

****

She huffed loudly before touching his arm.  Finally, he looked at her, surprised by the contact.

****

“Thank you for tonight.  You didn’t have to do this.  This was...so nice,” she said, unsure how to accurately describe all of it.  “Thank you for opening up to me. I really appreciate it. I wasn’t sure if you would ever open up and trust me.”

****

“I have for a while.  I’m just terrible at showing it or explaining myself,” he replied with a self-deprecating tone.

****

“All the same, I’m really glad. I don’t know how to ask this, so I’m just going to do it,” she said, leaning in.

****

“What are you -  ahh,” he moaned as she hugged him awkwardly, leaning over the middle part of the car.

****

When she had a better handle on positioning and realized that he wasn’t fighting her, she took the initiative and hugged him a little tighter, moving one arm lower on his back and another to touch his hair.  She would be outright lying if she said didn’t imagine what his hair felt like. It was always tousled, usually because he was always running his hands through it at work. She loved watching him do it, and she wished she could do the same.  Now, she ventured just a little as she smelled his aftershave, the sandalwood smell comforting because it was combined with a scent that was uniquely him. She had thought his face was completely clean-shaven, but she was surprised to discover that he was beginning to develop a slight bit of scratchy five-o'clock shadow.  It gave more friction and warmth to her as she pressed herself closer to him, glad to finally share something more than just a simple touch of hands.

****

For a moment, he returned the hug, relaxing against her fully.  When she felt his nose rub against her hair, she made a noise in her throat, unprepared for the feelings his action caused within her.  He had never given any indication that he had wanted anything more from her until that day; she had no idea if she was reading too much into it or not.  All the same, for one brief moment, she thought maybe, just maybe, he might like her, too. In the next moment, though, he was pulling away from her quickly, trying to appear as though it hadn’t affected him.

****

“I’m not sure how to ask for that, either, but thank you,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant.  “No one’s ever hugged me for no reason.”

****

“No reason? Ben!”

****

“You should go,” he interrupted, pointing to her car.  “You need sleep if you’re going to get to work on time.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

****

“We’re going to talk about this hugging thing later,” she promised as she got out.

****

The next morning, they didn’t.  She was on her way into the office when she got waylaid by everybody else, all congratulating her on her promotion.

****

“Promotion? What’s going on?” she asked, looking really confused. 

****

“Isn’t that why he took you out to eat last night? To tell you about your new position on the floor above?” asked Poe, giving her a suspicious look.

****

“Ah, no.  We went out to celebrate finishing the project a day early. We just hung out and talked. It was really nice, actually,” said Rey, looking at all with an equally helpless look.

****

“Well, you should go talk to Leia, then.  Sorry,” said Poe, giving her a guilty look.  “But you seriously just talked to Ben Solo for a whole dinner? What on earth did you talk about? Work?”

****

“Our hobbies mostly.  A little about how soon Valentine’s Day was coming,” she replied, realizing how surreal it sounded.

****

“Valentine’s Day? I didn’t know he celebrated it,” said Finn, coming forward. “I’m having enough trouble as it is figuring out what to get Rose.”

****

“He doesn’t normally, but who cares? Neither do I,” said Rey, shrugging.  “There are so many cute, fun things you could get for Valentine’s Day gifts, like flowers or a teddy bear.” She would’ve gone on further, but she felt Ben’s presence behind her once more.  She turned, noticing his stoic look. “Is there anything you’d like to tell me about, Ben?”

****

Ben’s face twisted momentarily into a grimace as he glared at Poe and Finn. Then, his dark eyes found hers, and she felt as though she was drowning in all the hurt and feeling found within them.

****

“Come with me, Rey.  I already packed up all your stuff.”

****

It sounded so ominous, even though she was sure that it was good news.  One moment, she thought she was finally making progress with Ben, and then this happened.  He was always surprising her, always pulling away just when she thought she could get close. 

****

As soon as they were on the elevator up to Leia’s office, Ben’s harsh look softened.  “No one was supposed to say anything to you until I did.”

****

“You could’ve mentioned it last night when we were celebrating.  You know, ‘Hey, Rey, you did so well, I don’t want you working with me anymore, so I’m sending you elsewhere to deal with other people’s problems-’”

****

“That’s not it at all!” he rumbled, turning to press her against the wall, his face truly angry.  “You deserve this promotion after dealing so well with me and Matt. You’ve proven yourself time and again.  I wish you wouldn’t denigrate yourself like that.”

****

“Maybe I wouldn’t if you would praise or compliment my work more often,” she returned, still angry. A small part of her liked seeing him angry and being pressed against a wall by him, but she ignored it to remain angry. “I see why you stay at the engineer level; you don’t understand how to manage people at all.”

****

“That’s… actually true,” he said, all anger leaving him as he let go.  “I deserve that, and you deserve more. I hope you like this new position better.”

****

“I’m sure I will.  I make the best of every situation,” she said, hurrying off the elevator when the doors opened.

****

Ben ran his hands through his hair once more before punching the elevator wall and leaving a slight dent.  After that, he followed Rey into his mother’s office. The meeting with Leia was short and efficient, as everything was with her.  She was much warmer in her praise, and then she dismissed Ben. When the women were alone, Leia looked at her with concern.

****

“Rey, is everything between you and Ben alright? You’ve always gotten along so well.  This morning, not so much.”

****

“Last night was so… perfect,” said Rey, looking into Leia’s eyes with a helpless look.  “He finally opened up to me, and I saw parts of him I’ve never seen before. He was so warm….and then he decides not to bother to mention the fact that I’m getting a promotion, or that I was even being considered for one.  How hard is it to do that? He just doesn’t communicate enough sometimes, and it’s so…. Frustrating.”

****

Leia sighed, nodding. “That’s my son in a nutshell.  I’m sorry, Rey. He really does respect and like you, however much he may not express it.  He speaks so highly of you.”

****

“He has odd ways of showing it.  Thank you for this opportunity, Leia.  I like the idea of branching out and using my skills in another completely different area,” said Rey.  “I like working in teams.”

****

“The position just opened up a week ago.  He recommended you at once,” said Leia proudly, eager to recommend Ben.  “You’ve shown how well you can work with people. If you can handle my son and make him open up, then you can handle anything else this company has.  Good luck. You start Monday. Go ahead and say your goodbyes, and don’t feel bad about taking a half day. Enjoy another good lunch with friends.”

****

“Thanks so much, Leia,” she replied, getting up to leave.

****

“Don’t thank me; thank Ben.  Now get out of here,” she said, shooing Rey out.

****

Rey made her way back to her cubicle, where sure enough, all of it was empty.  

****

“Solo was cleaning it all out this morning before you came in,” said Poe.  “Congrats! Want to go out for lunch to celebrate?”

****

“I’d love it,” she replied, making Finn poke his head out.  “Awesome! Can I invite Rose? She’s in the group you’re joining.  Maybe a couple others she knows from up there?”

****

“Sure! That would be super helpful.  Thanks, Finn,” she said, hugging Finn briefly.

****

When she pulled away, she felt it again, the pull to look behind her.  Ben was standing there, holding a wrapped gift and looking contrite. All her anger melted as she looked at him, how awkwardly he stood there for once.

****

“Alright, guys, let me say goodbye to Ben really fast, and then we can head out to lunch.”

****

As soon as she headed toward him, Ben whirled around and headed for the elevators.  Once they were on it, he handed her the gift. “This is for you. I just got it last night, so I hope you like it,” he said, his face and ears pink.

****

She gave him a curious look and then destroyed the wrapping to find a basket full of chocolate, all the things she normally kept in her desk.  

****

“Ben, how did you know I liked-”

****

“You ate quite a bit of it while you stayed in my office.  I’m going to miss those days,” he said softly, his eyes wistful.  “Hopefully you won’t run out for a long time. You probably won’t have to buy any for a few months combined with all that was already in your desk.”

****

“You seriously cleaned out my desk.  Why?” she asked, drawing close to him until their faces were almost touching.

****

“Because if I watched you do it, I would probably try to convince you to stay,” he replied, a hand touching her cheek.  

****

The palm was tentative and soft, and Rey nuzzled into it at once, not caring who saw her as she closed her eyes.  Ben, however, was alert as always, and the moment the elevator dinged, he put a healthy amount of distance between them, confusing her once more.  He was beginning to become the king of mixed signals, and she was getting tired of it.

****

“Where are we going?” she asked, not having paid attention to the floor they got off on.

****

“This is your new floor.  I wanted to show it to you,” he said proudly.  “Then you can tell me if I did a good job of arranging everything to your satisfaction based on my memory.”

****

They walked through another maze of cubicles until they came to one that had bright balloons and streamers covering the entrance.  

****

“Welcome, Rey!” 

****

A whole chorus of people appeared from their cubes to welcome her, and she glowed under the attention.  At last she met Rose, and she was shocked at just how well Ben had done at arranging everything for her.  It was neater than it had ever been, but it was nice to be neat for a day. Soon after that, all were encouraging her to get out and have lunch.  

****

As the crowd pushed her toward the elevator, she grabbed Ben’s arm one last time.  “Ben, will you come along for lunch?”

****

Grimacing, he shook his head before saying, “No thanks.  Enjoy your time with all your friends. I’ll just be a wet blanket that’ll ruin the fun.”

****

“Ben, that’s not true! You’re lots of fun.  I saw that last night-”

****

“That was different.  That was... special because it’s you.  You’re not everyone else,” he said, growing pink again before glancing around at the approaching group.  “Have fun. I’ll see you around the office. Good luck in your new position.”

****

Before she could stop him, he was gone, and everyone else was surging into the elevator with her.  Lunch was a raucous, fun event, and Rey quickly learned to love her new office. After a week, she found she was happier than ever, except in one aspect: she never saw Ben.  She hadn’t seen him once that week, and after going another couple days without seeing him, she finally got the courage up to visit him two days before Valentine’s Day. 

****

When she got there, he was typing away as always, no one in the office beside him.  He seemed lost in his own little world, she completely forgotten. She almost left, not wanting to remind him if he found her leaving painful.  Part of her really hoped that he missed her, but she didn’t want to ask: she was too afraid to find out that he hadn’t.

****

“Ben?”

****

“Rey.” The change on his face was immediate; he smiled and got up to greet her.  “This is a surprise. I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

****

“We work at the same company; it was bound to happen eventually,” she deadpanned. 

****

He sighed and looked ready to give her the patented eye roll everyone experienced at one point. “I know, but I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me again after how I behaved,” he said, growing nervous.

****

“Ben, you are many things; a good communicator is  _ not  _ one of them.  However, I can forgive that because I still value you very much,” she said, coming forward.

****

“Really?” he asked, his eyes wide with barely-concealed excitement.

****

“Of course, you are - oh!”

****

She had expected many things from Ben, but a hug wasn’t one of them.  He embraced her even tighter than she had in his car. Suddenly, she was engulfed in his body and surrounded by heat and his scent, and she couldn’t imagine a better place to be.  In that moment, she realized that she didn’t just want his approval and like him as a person; she liked him in a different sense. She had the urge to kiss him. She resisted, however, as she was sure that he wanted nothing of the like.  He was hugging her, no doubt because he knew how much she liked it, nothing more. She kept telling herself that and enjoying every second in his arms until he pulled away, his face showing that he was not desirous to let go anymore than she was.  

****

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered, his voice scratchy with emotion.  

****

“I’ve missed you, too,” she replied, touching his face.  “If you ever feel the need to visit or bring more coffee, don’t resist the impulse.  You’re still welcome in my new cube.”

****

“Thanks,” he said as she smiled before heading out.  

****

She was barely out of the room before she ran into Leia.  “Oh, sorry! I didn’t see you there.”

****

“It’s fine.  I didn’t expect to see you down here. Is everything going well?”

****

“Great, just great,” said Rey, suddenly nervous that Leia had heard or seen something.  “Now if you’ll excuse me…”

****

“Of course.  I have a meeting with Ben shortly,” replied Leia before heading into Ben’s office and closing the door.

****

Rey put the moment in Ben’s office out of her mind as much as she could after that.  She wanted to over-analyze everything, but there was no point because it was Ben. He didn’t have any interest in her, or so she believed.  She was successful in deluding herself until Valentine’s Day, when her cube was covered in red and pink streamers and balloons.

****

“Do you know who did this?” asked Rey of Rose.

****

“Yep, but I’m not allowed to tell.  He’ll come find you soon,” said Rose cryptically.  “There’s more on your desk, by the way.”

****

After further inspection, she discovered Ghirardelli chocolate in multiple flavors, as well as any number of other expensive chocolates normally given on Valentine’s Day. There was also a large bag of Reese's cups. It made no sense; no one had shown any interest in her.  All the same, she wasn’t about to let good chocolate go to waste; she ripped open the first package she could touch. She moaned as the expensive chocolate hit her tongue, and that was when a throat was cleared.

****

She wanted it to be Ben badly so that he could see what he could have one day if he ever developed feelings and wanted more than just a hug.  What she got was better and yet more confusing. It was Ben, but he was holding a stuffed bear and a large bouquet of flowers as he tried not to mess up all the streamers.

****

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Rey,” he said when their eyes met.  “These are for you.”

****

The earnest smile he wore disarmed her at once.  She stared in slack-jawed amazement until a light clicked in his mind.

****

“You weren’t expecting it to be me?” he asked, drawing closer.  “Was there someone else you were more interested in? I thought I was reading the signs-”

****

“No, there’s no one else.  It’s always been you, Ben, but-”

****

“But what?” he asked, growing frustrated as his grip around the bear’s throat tightened.

****

“I thought you weren’t interested in me,” she said quietly, making him invade her personal space.

****

“I bought you chocolates, flowers, and a stuffed bear. How can you not tell I’m interested in you?” he asked before adding, “Okay fine, maybe I haven’t been the easiest to read in the past, but isn’t it easy to tell now?”

****

She grinned before nodding.  “Yes, you’re finally learning to show more of your feelings.  I just thought I was imagining things.”

****

“No.  I’ve liked you almost from the start,” he insisted, handing her the bear and flowers before he destroyed one or both of the gifts.  “I told you my preferences so that I’d have no reason to hate you.”

****

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head up at him before saying, “Really? That’s your idea of encouraging me?”

****

“Well, it wasn’t the best, but I didn’t know any better then.  Me telling you to go home was me showing you how much I cared. I didn’t want you to get sick; I didn’t want to lose you,” he admitted, his hands twisting the hem of his shirt.  “I forced everyone to send you stuff so that you’d feel as though you were missed.”

****

“Wait, you did that? Then why didn’t you send me one? I wanted one most from  _ you _ ,” she said, giving him a look.  “I came back, and you barely noticed me.”

****

He shifted his stance nervously. “I complimented you; that was huge. Weren’t all the gifts more obvious, though?” he asked, truly confused.

****

“GIfts?” she asked, trying to think of other gifts.  “Wait, so those headphones-”   
  


“Yes, those were actually new.  Those, the gloves, the jacket, all the coffee and trips to visit you were all a part of it.  I had thought you were encouraging me after spending so much time with me. I took you to Cloud City hoping that you would break up with your boyfriend for me when you saw that I was serious.  Then I realized that I was wrong.”

****

“I was so confused,” she said, looking guilty.  “I always assumed all those gifts were just to make me work more or because you didn’t like touching my super cold hands.”

****

“I  _ love  _ touching your super cold hands,” he said, taking them eagerly.  “It means I can warm them up myself.”

****

She opened and closed her mouth, not able to speak.  She had no idea what to say in response. Suddenly, without the icky cloud of doubt, she saw why he kept telling her to be nice to herself; he really did care about her.  A lot more than she had ever given him credit for.

****

“I’m sorry, Ben,” she said, making him pause.  “I wish I hadn’t doubted you and your intentions so much.”

****

“As you mentioned, I’m terrible at expressing myself.  Don’t worry about it,” he said, looking relieved. “So, about tonight-”

****

“What did you have in mind? Does it involve more chocolate?” she asked, smiling.

****

“Yes, later on,” he said.  “How do you feel about home-cooked meals?”

****

“I thought you’d never ask.  Just grab me on the way out of the office,” she said, pulling him down and kissing his cheek.

****

He seemed at a loss for words, so he just grinned like a fool as he left, everyone he passed by very confused by the look on his face, save Rose and Kaydel.

****

After Ben was gone and Rey had given her new friends chocolate, she floated off to her first meeting of the day.  Rose and Kaydel converged in Kaydel’s cube with confused looks.

****

“But he doesn’t like her.  I  _ thought  _ he didn’t like her, or anyone else for that matter,” hissed Rose, remembering how much Ben avoided Rey at various points, based on stories from Finn.  Many had assumed that Ben had asked for Rey to be moved just so he wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore.

****

“So did I, so did we all.  We must have been wrong,” said Kaydel prosaically, remembering how happy Ben had been. He seemed infinitely happier now. 

****

“Wouldn’t be the first time, will it?” replied Rose, remembering how shocked everyone had been that Rey had first stayed, and then been recommended for a promotion by him of all people.

****

“No, nor the last I dare say,” commented Kaydel, taking another chocolate.  “He’s positively smitten with her. It wouldn’t surprise me if they got married one day.”

****

“Oh, I hope they do! Perhaps he will finally learn to like people.  Imagine that,” said Rose, grinning.

****

“It would be nice; he’s going to need to learn to if he ever wants to run this company,” added Kaydel.  “I’m not sure how that’ll work out for Rey later, but-”

****

“But nothing.  She’ll have moved on to bigger, better things, probably doing independent consulting or something of the like.  The moment everyone learns she can work with Ben Solo is the moment she’ll become wanted by all, you just wait and see,” prophesied Rose, nodding with certainty.

****

Some hours later, Rey was munching on chocolate and coding when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder as another removed her headphones.

****

“Rey, it’s time to get out of here,” he whispered in her ear, planting a quick kiss on her neck. “I hear there’s chocolate covered fruit and dessert waiting for you.”

****

That time, she didn’t bother with just the cheek.  That time, she kissed him with an open mouth, letting him taste the chocolate that was already there as she enjoyed the mint that he kept hidden in his desk drawers on the right hand side. One kiss turned into two, then a third, and finally a fourth before he broke apart from her panting.

****

“Rey, this is going to get indecent fast.  We should leave now before we do anything else,” he said, going for her coat and purse at once.  “Where did you learn to kiss like that?”

****

“Let me show you,” she said, getting up and heading toward him before he placed a hand against her mouth.

****

“Not now.  At my place.  There’s so much I want to show you,” he said, looking excited.  “No one’s ever seen my place, especially another woman.”

****

“So this is really a first for you?” she asked as he sped to get home.  “How many other firsts have I been the recipient of and never realized it?”

****

“A lot of things, actually,” he said, his eyes lingering on her.  “You’re the first to touch me in general, as well as hug and kiss.  The first I did either of those things to as well. I’ve never been comfortable with people until you.”

****

“What else?” she prodded, intensely curious.       

****

“It’s not enough that you were the first person I really liked and developed feelings beyond respect for?” he asked, laughing.  “If you could understand how much you’ve changed my world, you’d be shocked.”

****

“I probably would be.  You should tell me more about it so I can understand you better.  I’d like to get you even more,” she said, nudging him.

****

“You will.  If I drink enough scotch, I’ll tell you every dark secret I have,” he said, glancing at her significantly.  “Would you like that?”

****

“Even more than chocolate,” she replied, making him grin.

****

“You’re so oddly perfect,” he stated as he pulled into the driveway.  “If we get bored tonight, remind me about strip poker. You need a teacher, and I intend to make it memorable tonight,” he said with a straight face.

****

“This night keeps getting better and better,” she said as they entered his home.  “I can hardly wait. All you have to do is tell me you know how to cook, and I’m ready to move in.”

****

Sliding an arm around her waist, he guided her to the kitchen where a heavenly smell awaited them.  

****

He gave her a smug grin. “Start packing tomorrow. As it so happens, I learned from my parents.”

****

“I need to taste this before I can make a final pronouncement,” she replied, sitting down and watching as he brought everything out.

****

“It’s nothing fancy, but since you liked it at the restaurant, here.”

****

She eyed the plates he placed down, along with the bread rolls and soup.  As soon as she took the first bite of dinner, she moaned appreciatively. 

****

“Ben, you’ve been holding out on me.  You’re going to have to cook much more often from now on; mine sucks,” she said, eating more.

****

“If it’ll make you moan like that every time, gladly,” he said.  “I have a secret to confess: ever since the first time I heard you eat chocolate and make that noise, I’ve wanted to make something that would inspire that same noise from you.”

****

She smiled, remembering how he had stared at her when she snacked on chocolate. He was full of surprises. 

****

“You’ve succeeded.  I can’t wait for dessert,” she said, making him laugh. She waited until he was enjoying his soup to add, “If you  _ really  _ want me to make that noise, I know a good place for those amazing lips of yours.”

****

He spat out all his soup before coughing loudly, glaring at her as he tried not to blush.  “Your timing is impeccable,” he grumbled when he was capable of speech. “I hate to think of what dessert will be like.”

****

“That’s what I was talking about,” she replied, wiggling her hips suggestively as he tried to drink more soup and failed miserably. She was loving having the ability to make him lose countenance so easily.  His face was so full of expressions, and she wanted to inspire every one of them to see everything that he was capable of. He didn’t appreciate the sentiment quite as much. 

****

“If I have to spit out food one more time, you’re not going to like what I do to you later,” he threatened, his index finger pointed accusingly at her.

****

“Promises, promises,” she taunted, kicking him under the table.

****

Dinner only devolved from there.  Not a whole lot of food was eaten, but Rey quickly discovered that Ben was easily distracted by kisses.  At least dessert was enjoyable for both; chocolate was never the same for Ben after that. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
